We’ve had several GQ threads on Freemasonry, but none have ever made clear how much money it costs to join. My understanding is:
You have to be invited to join (although invitations aren’t that hard to wrangle). The only strict requirements are that the applicant be a male adult, and believe in a Supreme Being.
Joining initially requires an initiation ceremony. A Mason can then advance to several higher degrees, each requiring another initiation ceremony.
The initiate must pay for the ceremony himself. Each degree’s initiation is more expensive than the one before.
(Sounds a lot like the Church of Scientology, doesn’t it?)
But what I don’t know is how much money these ceremonies cost. If the cost is high, then the Masonic order would effectively be (1) closed to poor men and (2) dominated by its richest members. Which hardly seems consistent with the spirit of universal brotherhood to which the Masons are, in principle, committed.
Like all organizations, Lodges must be able to pay their light bills. Typically, there is a one-time fee for the three degrees of Masonry, as well as regular annual dues. But these vary widely depending on the number of members, cost of living (rent in Manhattan is higher than it is in rural Oklahoma), the actual physical facilities of the Lodge, etc. The fees and dues, however, are not prohibitively expensive (the author is a college student and has no problem with them). Rather than give a single figure which may be very different than your local Lodge charges, or publishing an extended table of costs, it is easiest to simply refer the interested to their local Lodge.
How do I know all this? I don’t (and I’m not a college student): I copied and pasted from here.
Expect the yearly fees to be double digit. In my area $50 covers the yearly fee. You will have to pay a fee for each degree, which should also be in the double digits. You do not pay for the ceremony such as having to cover the costs, you simple pay a fee when you obtain that degree. The cost is very low and for those who enjoy being a part of it, it is well worth the small cost.
As for rich members dominating the society, that is absolutely NOT the case. You might be a lawyer, doctor, or President of the United States, but when in a Masonic meeting, you are equal to all of your brothers. Yes, that means that if someone collects garbage and can barely afford the dues, he is still considered your equal as a Mason.
Also, while invitations may not be that hard to get if you ask a Mason to sponsor you, you have to be voted into the lodge. Do not think that just because you ask to join, you are automatically going to be allowed to join the Masons.
Anyone with a criminal record is immediately passed over. Being convicted of a crime gets you thrown out. People who believe they can join in order to gain special privilege or get special deals from other Masons will most likely be passed over.
You have to be invited to join (although invitations aren’t that hard to wrangle). The only strict requirements are that the applicant be a male adult, and believe in a Supreme Being.
Joining initially requires an initiation ceremony. A Mason can then advance to several higher degrees, each requiring another initiation ceremony.
The initiate must pay for the ceremony himself. Each degree’s initiation is more expensive than the one before.
(Sounds a lot like the Church of Scientology, doesn’t it?)
But what I don’t know is how much money these ceremonies cost. If the cost is high, then the Masonic order would effectively be (1) closed to poor men and (2) dominated by its richest members. Which hardly seems consistent with the spirit of universal brotherhood to which the Masons are, in principle, committed.
You have to be invited to join (although invitations aren’t that hard to wrangle). The only strict requirements are that the applicant be a male adult, and believe in a Supreme Being.
–WRONG!! No one is ever invited to join Freemasonry. An individual must make the choice of his own free will. “Open recruiting” is forbidden (in nearly all states)
Membership requirements are simple: Male (no females allowed). Majority of age (18 some states, 19 in Ohio, 21 in some states). Belief in Supreme Being (no atheists allowed). Good moral character (a conviction of a speeding ticket, or a minor drug possession charge, or juvenile offenses, are not a bar to membership. )
Joining initially requires an initiation ceremony. A Mason can then advance to several higher degrees, each requiring another initiation ceremony.
–There are three(3) degrees in Craft Masonry. The third degree “Master Mason” is the “black belt” of Masonry
The initiate must pay for the ceremony himself. Each degree’s initiation is more expensive than the one before.
–There is an initiation fee, that must be paid. This covers the cost of the first year’s dues, and the purchase of some supplies, such as a lesson book, a white leather apron, a Bible, etc. The new member gets to keep all of the items purchased in the initiation fee.
(Sounds a lot like the Church of Scientology, doesn’t it?)
But what I don’t know is how much money these ceremonies cost. If the cost is high, then the Masonic order would effectively be (1) closed to poor men and (2) dominated by its richest members. Which hardly seems consistent with the spirit of universal brotherhood to which the Masons are, in principle, committed.
==Costs are very low! I joined when I was in college, and certainly not a Rockefeller nor was I a person of influence. Most Masons are ordinary “working stiffs”. My annual dues are $65 per year. Dirt cheap! Wealth and wordly influence do not matter in Freemasonry. We are all brothers, and we meet “on the level”.
Why not? Their money is just as green as anyone else’s. Unless it’s, you know, dripping with putrescent filth. Then it might just be a different shade of green.
The thing about being invited to join is the single most common misconception about Freemasonry, in my experience. You have to approach a Mason and ask to join - nobody is ever invited.
At least in Indiana (Masonry in all states operates independently) the degrees don’t cost anything beyond the initial dues (which is around 100 dollars a year for me.)
Again, I can only speak for Indiana, because each state’s lodges operate autonomously. There is no Grand Lodge of America, no national ruling body of Masonry. It is completely on a state by state level.
Current members of the lodge vote on accepting you, yes. First you petition to join the lodge; this entails filling out a basic form about yourself and submitting it. Two lodge members have to sign this form, vouching for you, but at my lodge, this can be anyone who has met you and likes you, which will be basically everyone. Then there will be an investigative committee, composed of several members, who will meet with you once or several times to talk to you and get an idea of what kind of person you are. Then at the next meeting of the lodge, that committee will report back on their meeting with the candidate, and all the Master Masons present (which is the vast majority of the lodge) will vote.
Voting is done by putting either a white ball or a black cube into a little hole in a wooden tray. This is to make it totally anonymous. The vote must be totally unanimous. One black cube, even if 100 other guys cast the white ball, means the candidate doesn’t get in.
–
All applicants for Masonry, must meet the qualifications:
Male- no girls allowed
Mature of age - 18 some states, 19 in Ohio, 21 in other states
Belief in Supreme Being - no atheists allowed
Good moral character. No felony convictions.
The lodge appoints an investigation committee to examine each applicant, and determine his overall fitness for Freemasonry. If their report is negative, the applicant will be rejected.
And the lodge must decide, if you can be admitted to Freemasonry. The vote must be unanimous. The vote is secret, with little white balls to accept, and little black cubes to reject. One negative vote, will exclude an applicant.
Applicants are rejected, sometimes. I have seen it happen on two(2) occasions.